The present invention relates to pumps and pertains particularly to an improved fuel delivery pump system for aircraft engines.
The safety and reliability of an aircraft depends on the reliability of its components. The engine is one component whose reliability is most critical. The reliability of the engine depends upon the reliability of its components.
Fuel is delivered to the engines of an aircraft by a fuel pump system, including a pump driven by a motor coupled thereto and controlled by an electronic control system that is usually remote from the motor. The hardware for the typical fuel pump system weighs about fourteen (14) pounds.
An engine must be supplied fuel reliably on demand under varying and hostile conditions. Many engines, particularly the jet engine, depend on a fuel pump for supplying and metering fuel thereto. The pump must be efficient and highly reliable One area of potential failure in the pump is the seals. This potential problem can be minimized by reducing and/or eliminating seals. One approach to reducing seals is to use an external drive with a magnetic coupling. While this eliminates seals, it also reduces efficiency and reliability of the pump unit.
It is therefore desirable that a compact reliable and efficient pump system be available.